New Age
by Okdes
Summary: What would happen if Skulduggery appeared outside your window? What if he said "Come with me?" And what if you can use a new branch of magic, and save thousands of lives with information they don't know? Here is what I did. Based off a story by mzcain. Rated T for Violence and swearing. The 'OC' is technically me.
1. End of the Old Age

Chapter 1: End of the Old Age

I was lying in my bed, waiting. I had heard a car stop outside my house, and while it was probably just a neighbor, out for a nighttime drive, I was still listening in case it wasn't. My vigil was rewarded with the sound of someone outside my window, trying to get in. Then I heard the lock click, and the window slide open. I tensed, ready for a fight, when a package landed on my chest. I looked up to see a dark-eyed girl wearing all black. "Get up!" she hissed.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

Her eyebrows knotted in confusion, and she hissed "How do you know me?" I rummaged through my backpack and eventually produced the first book. She frowned and said "The hell...? Skulduggery, get in here." The Skeleton Detective himself stepped in. He cocked his head in confusion when he saw the book. She frowned and said "We'll figure this out later. Get changed. Got a mirror?"

"The basement." I left and changed into my new clothes. They were black, with silver lining around the edges. It consisted of a t-shirt, pants, boots, and a duster, like in a Clint Eastwood movie. The hat completed it all. It was like a fedora/cowboy hat fusion, and it worked great with the coat. The entire outfit looked great, convying a sense of causal badassery. It was a good outfit, one just about anybody could pull off. A safe move, seeing as how Ghastly didn't know how I dressed. "Wow, Ghastly. You outdid yourself." I muttered.

At the bottom, I found a note saying 'I hope this fits, I've only ever seen pictures of you.-GB'. The clothes fit like I had got them custom-made. smiling ruefully, I walked to the basement and saw Skulduggery setting up the reflection spell. He motioned for me to stand in front of it and cast the spell. but he added something to the spell, something about "Surface can change clothes at will." I wiped off the eye, and tapped the mirror. Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. "He's one step ahead of us." She said.

My reflection stepped out and I said "Hey. What was it like before you came out?"

It frowned. "Nothing." It proceeded to put on my pajamas and went upstairs to my bed. I turned to the Detectives, who led me upstairs and out the window, and down into the street below.

I saw the Bently there, every bit as amazing and Beautiful as Derek described. Skulduggery motioned for us to get in. "I must say," he said "You are adjusting rather well." and started driving

I smiled again, replying "Yeah, well, you guys are like my heroes. I don't care if you will kill the world, or if you almost have." I heard Valkyrie choke in surpirse. I laughed, and said "Okay, so why me? Seven billion people, and you two visit me, Michigan? Why?"

Valkyrie replied "If you truly know about our world, you understand the types of magic." I muttered in agreement. She continued "A new branch has appeared. We only know it is here, and only a few can use it, but we don't know what it does or how to use it. You are one of the few that can use it."

"Can I use the other types?"

"As far as we can tell, you can use the new one as well as either Elemental or Adept. Now these books..."

"They show your adventures throught the years. When is the last time you saved the world?"

"Uh...the Death Bringer Melancholia?"

"Wow, you are two books behind."

Valkyrie frowned "What happens?"

I hesitated, and said "I'll...Tell you later. The books were written by a man named Derek Landy." Skulduggery snapped his head in my direction. "What?"

Skulduggery sounded angry "That is the given name of a Sensative I know." He pulled over, then got out and pulled out his phone "Fletcher, come get us." he hung up, and motioned for us to get out. Fletcher arrived instantly.

My jaw dropped "His hair...It's..."

Valkyrie smiled "Undefinable, I know." She said, then turned to Skulduggery. "I like this one." She told him. Fletcher scowled.

"So you are the newbie? I'm-"

"Fletcher Renn." I finished. He blinked. "I know all about you. How is Myra?"

"Who is Myra?" I realized something; the books were not entirely true!

"Oh man...Do you know about the Man with Golden Eyes?"

"Uh...Yeah...We are trying to find him so we can bring him to justice for treason, murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to murder."

I looked at them, fear shining in my eyes. "We have to get to the Sanctuary. Now." Fletcher touched us all, including the Bently, and we all were swallowed up by the night.

(I found this out later, but this happened. I'll have to venture into the scary realm of-Gasp!-Third person-Ryan)

The Man with Golden Eyes watched them vanish. He frowned. That boy could unravle his whole plan, a plan hundreds of years in the making...His eyes narrowed. He would kill him. That was the only way. Using his newfound power, a sort of magic he never thought could have existed, he teleported away.


	2. Blood, Fire, and Smoke

Spoilers for all books, so read all of them before this. Seriously, you have about three seconds before I started spoiling "Last Stand Of Dead Men."

Chapter 2: Blood, Fire, and Smoke

We were in Roarhaven in an instant. The creepy old town with the stagnent lake, and the small, dirty buildings shoved up against each other. Skulduggery said "So what is this about?"

I sighed "I know who the Man with Golden Eyes is." Before anybody could ask, I said " His name is Erskine Ravel, Grand Mage of Ireland." They looked at me in shock. "He wants sorcerers to rule the world. He tried to get Bliss to revolt, but he died before he could. He then sent a group of mortals from the non-existant Department X to kill Warlocks, and left a few bodies of mortals behind so they would be blamed. He spent the next few years picking off Warlocks so they would attack the mortals, and then the sorcerers could 'save the day' and Ravel would slowly begin taking them over." They stood in shocked silence.

"No." Skulduggery said. "I refuse to believe this."

Ravel said "Oh, but he is right." We jumped. Where the hell did he come from? He continued sadly "I must bring about the future. Sorcerers must rule the world. But my plan will work. But first, you all must die." He held up his hand, and it began glowing red.

"Take cover!" I shouted. They looked in confusion, but jumped aside as the blast roared down the street. I realized that they couldn't see Ravel's new powers. But I could, because I could use them too. I stepped out into the open, and he fired a blast right at me.

I caught it. I looked at it in my hand in surprise. That had been pure instinct. I don't know how I did it. Then I realized what the red stuff was. was. Radiation. Not just that, but all waves. Light, sound, color, even radio and harmful ones. I shot it back at Ravel, who didn't have time to dodge. I concentrated all of my rage and hate towards him, for all the crimes he would do. For the muders of Ghastly and Shudder I knew were coming. and most of all, for being a dick. My anger fueled it until the blast shot at him so fast, he didn't have time to dodge. It hit his leg, and he screamed. The air shimmered around him, and he vanished. Some of the residual energy inside me looped, and I felt it curl as I fell into darkness.

I was on a field, a field covered in blood, fire, and smoke. I turned my head to see Valkyrie and Skuldugeery fighting for their lives against a horde of half-decayed dog things. I saw me, wielding a short sword, fighting a pair of Sorcerers. "Oh, come on! There's two of you and one of me!" He protested. They smiled wickedly and charged. One got a blast of a fire-radiation combo to the face, and I lost sight of the other when he called up a small dust storm. But it was short, and brutal. When it was over, He was shaking limb bits off his-my-coat.

"This is one future." said a voice. I turned to see an old man with kind eyes. He continued "This one is desirable; It ends well. Many do not. You are my first child, and therefore the most powerful." 'What in the unholy pits of hell is he spewing!? My dad doesn't look like that, even in thirty years' I thought. He smiled kindly and said "I brought you here to see a good future. But I will see you again, Mein Kind." and I was awake.

Just like that. But Mein Kind...tht is German for my child. What the hell? then I realized I was on a hospital bed, and It was daytime. I frowned, then a girl with blue hair came in. My face cracked into a smile as I happily yelled "Clarabelle!"

"Person!" She squealed, equally happy. "Will you be my friend?"

"Of course! But I don't have a name yet."

"Well, choose one! you seem to know mine-" then the Detectives bursted in.

"You are okay!" Valkyrie exclaimed in delgiht "We thought Ravel killed you."

"Nah. How long was I out?"

"Five hours, roughly. Got a name yet? You seem to love us (Understandably)" Here Skulduggery and I laughed "So I assume you would already have one...?"

"Yes." I looked her straight in the eye, not knowing one of them had turned silver. "My name is Okdes Falvion."

So, Chaper 2 done. Chapters wil be infrequent, so don't try to set your clock to it. I am always looking for reviews and ratings and whatnot. Thanks to those who already have. Sorry if any of the chapters are short,

Bye,  
-Okdes 


	3. Training and My first Case

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##-#O#k#d#e#s# 


	4. Training and my first Case (Sorry)

Chapter 3: Training

I frowned, concentrating, looking at myself in a bathroom mirror. My eye twitched, and I felt the light waved bend...and my eyes changed color. I yelled "YEAH!" before remembering I was in a resturaunt bathroom. I hastily changed my eyes back and walked out. I ran behind the resturant to the field we were training in. We had a clocking sphere, so nobody could see us.

"Okay, then Show me what you've learned today" Skulduggery said I clicked my fingers again and again. Nothing happened. I got angier and angrier until-

-a spark appeared. And it was instantly fed by my seething rage. It exploded into a massize fireball, incasing my hand. Valkyrie stepped back nervously, and Skulduggery said "Learn to control your anger." as he waved his hand. The air rushed away from my hand, and the fire vanished. The air settled back into it's usual spot. I nodded, and lifted my arm to try again when he asked "So tell us about your magic."

I smiled, glad for a chance to talk about it. "As far as I can tell, it is maipulating waves. Light, sound, radiation, everything. With it I could use the light waves to make myself invisible, change colors of an object, make a sound tripwire, and even bend light to duplicate an object. It would be an image only, as far as I can tell, but maybe once I get stronger I could make a full mimc of anything. The radiation is mostly for attacking, like Ravel tried to do to us. I managed to grab the blast, though, and hit him with it. He then used some light/sound/wind combo to teleport. I'm still working on that one." I demonstrated the radiation, and added a little light wave so they could see it too. "Basically, you...'weave', I guess...The waves together until you get something." I showed them by 'weaving' a small radiation bomb. "I could set this down, and when a sound got to close, it would detonate." I explained. I set it down, far away from us, and sent a tendril of sound. the radiation bomb detonated, leaving a dark scourch mark.

Skulduggery nodded, saying "Do you know where Ravel went?"

"No. It could be anywhere in the world."

"Damn. Thats enough for now, I have a job for you and Valkyrie. I need you two to work a case...alone." We jumped in surprise. "I have some other work to do, and since Okdes seems to know so much about us, I'm sure he'll do fine." he told Valkyrie. A slow smile spread across my face. I was being sent to work with one of the coolest people on planet, and I was getting PAID too. No way this could get better. Then, it did. Skulduggery said "You may need weapons, so I got you two some." He produced a bag from the Bently's trunk, and opened it. He handed Valkyrie a .45 caliber Colt Single Action Army. It was a revolver, with a slightly longer barrel than Skulduggery's classic Smith & Wesson .38. To me, he handed greek Xiphos, the blade I saw myself holding in the vision. It was about 50 cm, with a triangle shaped blade. "This was used by Perseus to kill the Gorgon Medusa."

"Really?"

"I don't know. I found it in the Sanctuary, and I thought it looked pretty. So I took it. Now it's yours." I looked at the inscrpition on the base: T?at? ?ta?. I knew this ment "Death Lord" in Greek. Yeah, I'm weird like that. I looked at Valkyrie, who shrugged. Skulduggery said "I'll take you to China to talk about your new case. I'm pretty sure She is going to be the New Grand Mage, since nobody likes Madame Mist, and Ghastly turned the job down.." He handed me a scabbard for T?at? ?ta?, I took it and slid the sword in. I attached it to my belt, and slid into the Bently. I saw a inscription on the scabbard as well: ?e?s?a?. So this was Perseus's blade...Skulduggery was so weird sometimes. He arrived at Roarhaven, and I frowned. Did Skulduggery forgive China, or did they not know? We arrive, and Vallkyrie and I got out. We saw China exit the Sanctuary, and she strode over to us. She smiled at Skulduggery, and said "Hello, Skulduggery." then she turned to me. "And you are...?"

"Uh...Okdes." Wow, she was beautiful. Fortunatly, I had experience with beautiful women and who to not seem like an idoit around them. So I smiled and said "I had heard about you, but they didn't do you justice." Valkyrie raised an eyebrow, and I shrugged slightly. Se smiled at me.

"I have been told." she said wit a little laugh. I smiled, and bowed slightly.

"So, China, can you give them the case of Mr. Ward? I have...urgent things." Skulduggery waited until she nodded, then drove off. She smiled, and motioned for us to follow her. She entered the Sanctuary, and guided us through halls until we arrived at an office. She entered, and grabbed a file from her desk.

"Ferdinan Ward, age four hundred thirteen, was murdered in his home today. Here is the file, we need this cleaned up quickly." She said. Valkyrie nodded, and turned to leave.

"Go ahead, Valkyrie." I said "I just need to ask China about-" I racked my brains for a quick excuse; luckily I was good at those "My sword. I want to know if it has any magic." Valkyrie nodded, and left. I turned to China, and asked "Do they know? About his wife?"

China's eyes narrowed "Who are you? Who told you that?"

"Please, I am just trying to find out how much is as I know."

She sak back into her chair. "They don't. I killed Scorn before she could tell anyone. Her, Prave, and Christopher Nocturnal. Anyone else who knew. I am safe."

"Goo, because if Skulduggery knew you kidnaped his wife for Serpine..."

"He would kill me, I know." She waved me away grimly.

"By the way, does this sword have magic?" She looked at me strange.

"You can see the spectrum of magic, I can tell by your eyes. Check yourself." I left, trying to acsess this 'spectrum' Then, suddenly, everything shifted blue. 'Blue = normal' I thought. The sword was orange, which I guesse ment magic. So now just to figure out what... I saw Valkyrie waiting , and we walke over to the surface, flicking through the report.

"So, this Ward guy. He lived alone, no enemies, no friends, worked as a engineer. It says he was on Mevolent's side, during the war." I supplied. SHe peered over my shoulder at the corpse photo.

"See that?" she pionted to the man's head, which was branded with a symbol in the language of magic "Skulduggery told me that triators were branded with that. So he probably went rouge during the war-"

"- And just now some hard-core fanatics decie to make him pay." I finished. She nodded, an I asked "But why, then, would they take his stuff?"

"To show power?" she suggested.

"No, they would have accomplished that when they sliced his face off." I looked at the truly grotesque scene again. Now, I will actually describe it. Ward was branded on his forhead, and had his face removed. Eyes scooped out, nose cut off, ears missing, and lips cut. His hair was gone, and so were sevral chuncks of scalp. But that wasn't what killed him. What killed him was the fact they removed his limbs. "More than one man did this, obviously, but why now?"

"I don't know." She looke at it again. "Lets talk to his relatives, this says his father is still alive and in..." She checked the file "Australia. I'll call Fletcher, you go look at the body and check Dr. Nye's cornor report." I nodded, and made my way to the Medical Ward. Then smiled, realizing I was going to see Ward's corpse in a Ward. I entered, and Clarabelle happily suealed and hugged me. Then she skipped off to a medical table, and started bandaging some poor guys arm .He looked terrified. I didn't blame him.

I turned to Nye and asked "I am here to see Ward's body, and to hear yor report."

"Follow, then." It screeched. I entered the room, and saw him with Ward's body on a table. "I just finished the autopsy. He had no toxins in his system, and died because he, well, got his limbs hacked off by some sort of serrated knife. He also sustained several.." His reportwent on and on about defensive wounds and brusies, but I felt a tug, and was watching someone run. I heard him muttering to himself.

"I need to find who will pay the most for this. I can't believe I got so lucky! China, admiting it, on a recorder!" I felt another tug, and was floating back to my own body...

"Are you listening?" Nye screeched. I blinked.

"Wha..? Oh, yeah. I am." It looked at me, an continued his report. But I was only half-listening. Someone overheard us. This was bad.

I got the mimc idea from a review by Ashen Fireflower. Thanks for your support, people. this is a repost, sorry about the thing it did. I fixed it.

-Okdes 


	5. Nashvanii Shven and Di-Kapprio

Chapter 4: Nashvanii Shven and Di-Kapprio

I awoke to find I was tied to a chair, facing seven men in a dark room. I looked to my right, to see Fletcher and Valkyrie tied up as well. I groaned. The plan failed severely. Thinking back on it, We probably should have expected it...

Four hourse before, Fletcher teleported us to Australia. I looked out over the sparkling ocean, and smiled. I breathed in a huge breath, and let it out slowly. Instantly, I was all about buisness. "There is an ice cream guy!" I said. They looked puzzled. "Whenever my family goes to a new state or country, we try their ice cream." I muttered sheepishly.

"Thats a good idea..." Fletcher trailed off. Valkyrie laughed slightly, and shook her head.

"Remeber the plan: Ask him, then get out as soon as possible." She led us off to the right, more inland. I frowned sadly, and trudged after her. We stopped at 's house, and Valkyrie knocked on the door. Remembering that Ward used to worship the Faceless Ones, I figured a warm welcome was probably out of the question. So I summoned a bit of radiation into my hand, and bent light to make it invisible. The door openes slightly to reveal a short, balding man who had small, piggish eyes. He was slighlty overwieght, and and while he seemed unkempt, he wore a suit and tie.

"Whadda ya want?" He asked roughly, American accent rolling off his tounge.

"Hi, I am Valkyrie Cain, and this is my partner Okdes." I raised my hand in greeting. "And Teleporter Fletcher Renn. We are here-"

"I know why your here." He turned and walked inside, leaving open the door for us. I hestitated, and met Valkyrie's eyes. She shrugged, and followed him inside. Fletcher and I trailed after her. We saw Mr. Ward sitting in a chair, and motioned for us to sit on the couch that it was facing. We sat, an he said "My son was betraying little bastard, and deserved the treatment he got. I am only sad I wasn't the one to do it." We exchanged nervous glances. "I know who did it. In fact, he is here right now." A man stepped out of nothing behind him. The I hit Ward in the face with the radiation. He fell back with a strangled "Gak!" And the other man waved a hand. A red right hand. We all fell forward, choking in pain, falling into darkness...

And then we were tied to the chairs. It would have been threatning if not for the fact our captors were all balding or fat. It was hard not to laugh at their pityful attempts to be scary. The the man with the red right hand entered. He was tall and thin, but not so much as Skulduggery. He had deep blue eyes, unnaturally so. This, too, would have been horrifying, except they hadn't bound my magic. Oh sure, my elemental magic was out. But my radiation? Couldn't be better. I smiled, charging it up in my hand. The man slowly walked over, and bent over in front of me. "Something funny?" He asked, trying very hard to seem ominous. I laughed in his face. His eyes narrowed in shock, and he hissed "You dare..?" and drew back, like he was going to strike me. Then my radiation hit him in the knee. He collapsed, right On to my knee. His head snapped back, and he fell, groaning. The other men looke in shock, and I threw a radiation bomb. It exploded, throwing them into the walls. One of the sigils in the room was damaged, and suddenly our powers rushed back. Valkyrie and I burned our bonds off, and She ran to untie Fletcher, and threw me her hancuffs. I handcuffed the red right handed man and hauled him up. Valkyrie and Fletcher came over and grabbed the other people, and we teleported to Ireland again.

We touched down in the Saunctuary, and I threw the man to the floor. Fletcher and Valkyrie began to lock the other guys in holding cells, while I hauled off the man with the red right han to Interrigation.

He awoke with a groan, and saw the Valkyrie and Fletcher standing in front of him. He frowned, obviously looking for me, when I spoke from behind him "So, Sir, are you ready to talk?" he sat there imperiously, nose in the air. Until Valkyrie punched him in the face. the chair he was on began to fall back, but his hands were handcuffed to the table. The result was him trying to balance on a half-fallen chair until they both crashed to the floor. We all burst out laughing. I hauled him and the chair back up, and sat him on it. "How about now?"

His eye twitched, and he craned his neck to see me. "I won't ever-" He was cut off by me punching him. He fell forward, onto the table. He sat up, groaning "Are you going to interrogate or beat on me?" He whined. His voice was like a dentists drill, it called to every primal urge I had to punch him very hard in the face.

I looked at Valkyrie, and suggested "We coul use the 'Terrifying Brain-Sucker of London' ag-" I was cut off by the man wailing in fear

"NO! ANYBODY BUT HER! I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING!" Valkyrie and I looked at each other in shock. She motioned for him to continue, so he rambeled "Sacpegrace told me about her. She sounds horrifying! My name is Tuscan Bashong, and I was taught the red right hand by Serpine when I studied under him. I was in an elite group of Faceless Ones worshippers, chosen by-"

"Elite?! You guys had seven fat dudes and an annoying thin one." Fletcher interrupted

"- Chosen by Nashvanii Shven." he continued like the intertuption never occured.

"Who?" We asked

"Nashvanii Shven. The one prophecized to return the Faceless Ones to us. Nobody has seen him in a hundred years except us. He told us to kill a betrayer of the Ones, and Ward suggested his son. He was the first to die, setting in mtion the chain of events needed by Shven to open the gate."

"Why now?" I asked

"Because, he said his enemy was coming. The one who could kill all of the Faceless Ones. Di-Kapprio." As soon as the name was uttered, I felt an odd sense of impending doom. We needed to find this guy, and fast. "We all participated in killing Ward's son. It was..." He trailed off after realizing he just condemed him and his whole cult to jail for a long time. If he looked scared before, now he was terrified. We called in a Cleaver to take him away, and he whimpered in fear. We exited the room, and reported to China.

"So they did it so they can let in the Dark Ones? I've heard of this Nasvanii Shven. Do not try to mess with him. He will kill you. For fun." She turned to pick up something below her desk. She came back up holding a small stone. She tapped a sigil on it, and it glowed blue. She nodded, and put it away. "Shven is not in the country." She informed us. "And while we prepare for his coming, you three must investigate another murder, this one involving-" We were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"China, A man wants to see you. He says...It's about something you did in Dublin, several hundred years ago." China went pale but just a hair, and I knew. I knew the man that had overheard us had come.

"Leave, all of you." She said. We walke out, Valkyrie taking the file from her desk. But a man stepped in, blocking the exit. He leaned against the door frame, brandishing a gun.

"Not so fast," He said "We have much to talk about." He smiled a cruel smile of someone who loved causing other people's pain, especially when it turned them on each other "How much do you really know about our dear China Sorrows?"  



	6. World of Darkness

Chapter 5: World of Darkness

The man twirled a knife in one hand, keeping the gun trained on us. "China Sorrows, what remarkable person. You not only were a worshipper,you were in the dreaded group Mevolent himself feared. You were the pretty little head of the snake, the most trusted of the fanatical maniacs. And when Neferian Serpine came with a special job, you-" He stopped short when I stepped forward, and he sneered "Don't try to be a hero, Genius. I will kill you." I frowned, and snarled at him. I wasn't used to being helpless. He continued "Neferian Serpine said he needed someone to kidnap someone. A certian person, the wife of Skulduggery Pleasant. He set the trap. But you, YOU are the one who brought her into it! You kidnapped her! You attacked her!" Valkyrie looked stricken, China was looking at the ground.

"I...Is..." Valkyrie could not even form the words.

"Yes." China said, resigned. Valkyrie backed away from her, horrified. I knew what she was thinking, I read it.

I saw the man, the delighted look on his face. I felt my rage boil over. I have so much of it on a normal day, but to see this happen caused it to increase by a tenfold. I was shaking with pure, channeled rage. Channeled right at the man. I roared, raising my arm, and all of the rage flying at him. the radiation blasted him off his feet. He flew backwards, through the door, and straight into the wall behind. It cracked beneath him, and the radiation boiled over his skin. He screamed, and he dissolved. The two looked at me in shock as I lowered my arm.

My head snapped towards them, my rage slowly, ever so slowly, falling. Valkyrie stammered "Your...Your eyes...Are sliver." I frowned. I didn't make them turn...My natural color was green, more recently green and silver. but full silver? That was new. "What...what did you do to him?"

I sheepishly clasped my hands together and muttered "I dissolved him...It was an accident! I got so angry..."

"I had anger like that once." Skulduggery's voice came from outside the door. He stepped inside the room, and crossed his arms. He said "China, leave. I heard it all. Leave, before I do what Okdes did." She scrambeled out. He turned to us, blank skull reflecting the harsh white light, and said "We have another case: Nashvanii Shven has chosen another target. I believe he is trying to break the 50 seals to unleash the Faceless Ones. The fifty seals were put in place by the ancients after they cast them out. If he can break them, he will unleash the Apocalypse. So we got to stop him from breaking seals. We know he has to kill seven innocent people under a black moon to break the next. Tonight is a new moon. Relax for a few more hours, we go hunting tonight." He turned and walked away.

Sorry for the short chapter. And yes, I got the seals/Apocalypse idea from Supernatural.

You know how it works: Write some reviews, leave some comments. Got it?

-Okdes 


	7. Ashaderi

Chapter 6: Ashaderi

I was standing in the moonlight, watching the shadows advance ine the seven innocents. We had fought off the first batch of assassins, but we had to hold out until dawn. One of the seven, named Gary, I think, saw one of the shadows. He gasped loudly and let out a little scream. The shadows jumped into the light cast by the fire, and drew their swords...The shots rang out. Many of them fell, and the others jumped for cover. Closer to me. I unsheathed Death Lord and began hacking at the nearest.

The shadow-creature came apart in shreds of darkness as I cut it. The others ran at me, and I readied my sword. I blasted three of them down, then hacked several of them apart. I looked back at the campfire, where the seven people stood, terrified. I sighed.

Campers in a forest were not very easy to protect as a general rule, but when they are trying to run away from the skeleton makes it so much harder. Skulduggery and Valkyrie stepped out of the shadows, reloading their guns. I held up one of the rapidly dissolving corpses of the shadow, and said "You've never seen this before, have you?" they shook thier heads. "Great." I sighed. I threw the body down, and suddenly Valkyrie's phone was ringing.

"Yeah?" She awnsered. Then her face fell. "What?" he hand started shaking "When?" she said, suddenly blinking back tears. "Okay...Thanks." he voice was barely above whisper. she turned to Skulduggery and I, and said "Seven innocents are dead. Nashvanii himself came to deal with them, and killed almost everyone. Fletcher was there. he..." she broke off into a sob. "He is barely alive. He might not make it." I looked at her, wide-eyed with pity for her. Also, Fletcher...He was Fletcher. he couldn't die. I felt my sorrow rising, and weaved my magic off pure instinct...

And we appeared in the Sanctuary. I muttered "I guess that's how you do the teleporting thing." Then louder, "Let's find Fletcher." We walked through the Sanctuary, and found the medical ward. We saw Clarabelle outside, and she stopped us.

"You can't go in." she said. We stood outside, waiting for Nye to finish his work. it took hours, but eventually he emerged from the room.

"Your friend will make it." It screeched, looking into Valkyrie's tear-filled eyes. "But he will be in a coma for...some time. I believe he will come out of it in a few days. Now excuse me, I have expirements to do." It stalked out. C;arabelle motioned for us to enter, and we did. Fletcher lay upon a bed, with completely pale skin. He was hardly breathing, and he several nasty cuts on his chest. I looked at him, knowing how Valkyrie would probably feel responsible for this, for not protecting him.

I laid a hand on her shoulder, and softly said "He'll pull through." and I walked off. Hey, call me what you want, but we had work to do. And I intended to do it. I grabbed Skulduggery's file on Shven to see what the next seal was. I scanned through it, until I saw the list of seals. I flicked down them. It said: 1. The soul of a Traitor 2. Seven innocents murdered on a night of Black moon.  
3. Blood of a Fallen Hero

I frowned Blood of a Fallen Hero? that meant Ravel...I concentrated. I had seen the man running away from China's old office, and I had felt thr power in him...Maybe I could see what others with my talent see? I concentrated, but didn't know what to do. I just thought about Ravel, and how I wanted to find him...

I saw damp basement, with a flight of stairs leading to a door. It opened, and I glimpsed a bit of the upstairs: A wall with a sigil carved on it. The man who came down spoke to Ravel in a thick German accent, saying "Your are safe here, Mr. Ravel. Please, feel free to yell for Grokk if you need anything. Enjoy your stay here in Berlin."

He turned to leave when Ravel said "I do hope you will keep your lips sealed, Mr. Krieg."

The man, Krieg, paused and said "My lips are sealed." Before resuming his exit.

I pulled back into my body, and smiled grimly. I knew where the bastard was. Now I would track him down and make sure he either was coming with me or had no blood left to give.

I double checked the airplane tickets in my pocket. I was flying with Vex and Ghastly to Germany to hunt Ravel, and both were really looking forward to the part when we beat him up. We boarded the plane, and I marveled at how good ghastly was at concealing weapons. Death Lord didn't even set one off. I sat down between the two men, and Ghastly asked "Are the clothes good?"

"Masterfully made, Ghastly." I settled into my seat, and snapped my fingers. The air around us warped and twisted slightly, and I said "Nobody can hear us now. I diverted the air waves." They looked rather impressed. "Okay, so now say what you need."

"So can we call in any extra help from other countries?" Vex asked.

"I think that some mortal people called 'Hunters' who kill monsters could be put on alert. America has some weird people who can fly and stuff who might be able to fight off Shven. They actually have an organization called S.H.I.E.L.D. or something, and I think that we could even call in favors and get some wizards in Britian to help us, too." Ghastly said

Vex raised an eyebrow "Seriously? Wizards? Those wand-waving asses? They can't even fight without their sticks. Useless."

"They took down a Dark Wizard!"

"Yeah, and we took down Mevolent! He was a million times worse!"

"Fine! No Wizards! God."

I burst out lauging. "Oh god, I love hanging out with sorcerers." I gasped. "But your right. Mevolent could kill Voldemort and his seven souls. But Vile seems worse than Mevolent, even."

"How did you...? Nevermind. I don't want to know." Vex said. "You know about as much as Saracen."

Ghastly frowned "So, we ask the Hunters?"

I nodded. "Two or three in particular have experince in this. I if you want to call it in, ask for Sam, Dean, or Bobby."

"Okay, then. I won't even ask how you know." Ghastly settled back into his seat. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, we should get churros sometime." They loked at me strange "What? I love churros."

Ghastly decided I should be actually working, so he gave me some puzzles to work out: The other seals. Some were cut and dry, but others were...strange. here are some examples:

10. The Sorrow of One's Own 18. What Is, Yet What Never Should Be 20. The Heart of the Lesser 28. The Soul of the Greater 33. The Man Who Doesn't Exist 50. The First Child (MUST BE BROKEN LAST NO MATTER WHAT!)

I got #18 pretty quickly. He needed one of the Dead Men I saved from death at the hands of Ravel, or one of the hundreds of deaths I prevented. The first, I don't know, as well as #s 20-50. I think #10 was a sorrow one person had, only one. But who, I don't know. Others were pretty clear, like:

5. Last breath of a Giant 21. Half a Ashaderi

I knew an Ashaderi was a gem, and I knew this because Death Lord had one in it. The small blue crystal sparkled brightly in the fading sunlight as we flew to Beriln, and Erskine Ravel. I idly wondered how the file Skulduggery put together had all the seals. But then I figured a Sensative must have told him. Whatever. Our plane landed in Berlin, and we got off it. I led them out into the streets, and asked "Where is the Sanctuary?"

"This way." Ghastly led us down alleyways and sidestreets until he arrived at a door, and beneath the grim, graffiti, and german posters, we saw a faint sigil. Ghastly pressed his hand into it, and said "Aperi." The door lid open, and inside was a hallway. As we entered, the door rumbled shut behind us. I looked at Ghastly, who shrugged and said "I tok a guess with Latin. It worked." We walked down the hallway, and found a room with an Administrator.

"Wer sind Ihr? Warum sind Ihr hier?" he snapped.

"Beruhigen, Wir sind von der irischen Sanctuary." I replied. 'Good thing I speek German.' I thought.

The Administratot nodded, and said in english "My apologies. We do not get many visitors here. How may we help you?"

"I am looking for a man named Mr. Krieg, who may be in association with a person named Grokk. He is aiding in the harboring of an Irish fugitive."

"Wirklich?" He said "Mr. Krieg lives about three miles from here. Just go..." he gave us directions. We thanked him, and left.

"I didn't know you could speak German." Vex muttered. I nodded, and led them to Krieg's house.

As Ghastly knocked on the door, I leane into his ear and muttered "I can try to make us safe from Ravel's power." I snapped my fingers, ad the air slightly warped again. He nodded, and waited. The door eventually opened to reveal a huge man, easily bigger that the door. The only way he could have gotten out is through the Garage. That's how big he was. Ghastly took a slight step back at his apperence.

"We wish to enter. You and your master are under arrest by the Irish Sanctuary for harboring Erskine Ravel." Grokk, for I assume this was he, merely grunted and closed the door. Then we all shot at it with magic. The door ripped off it's hinges, and hit Grokk. The big man went down. We walked inside, and Vex handcuffed the huge man. I stepped forward and into the kichen, and saw Krieg standing there. He turned and I kicked him in the face. He went down, and Ghastly handcuffed him. I followed the hallway until I saw the sigil. I pressed it, and a door faded up from nothing. I blasted it open, and saw Ravel below. He fired at he, but I caught it. Again. His eyes widened with fear, and He shot blast after blast at me. I deflected some, dodged some others, and even hit one with one of my blasts. Then I made myslef invisible and unhearable by making the waves pass by me. I created a image of me behind Ravel, who shot it. The fake me fell over and died. As Ravel looked at it in triumph, I hit him very hard in the face. I made myself visible again, and handcuffed him. I led him upstairs, and threw his limp, unconscious body at Ghastly's feet.

"We win this one." I said simply.

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey people, thanks for reading. If you can guess all three references (They aren't too hard), good for you. If you have any ideas on seals or any general suggestions, let me know.

-Okdes 


	8. Sorrow of One's Own

Chapter 7: Sorrow of One's Own

We stood in front of Ravel, who was chained in the German Sanctuary for the time being. He lifted his head, ad groaned when he saw us. "Great...You found me! What do you want?"

I looked at him, trying to keep in my rage, and softly said "Does the name Nashvanii Shven mean anything to you?"

He frowned "Heard of him, he's like a superfanatic. Vanished after the war."

"He's back. There are 50...ingredients, lets say, to a spell that will bust out the Faceless Ones fom whatever craphole reality they live in now. And guess what? Your blood is one of them." his face turned pale, and he licked his lips nervously.

"How...How do we stop him?" Ravel asked

"Either you have no blood left, or you are somewhere safe." Ghastly said. I was personally ready for the former, but it wasn't my call. I looke at Ravel, waiting for his desicion.

"Okay! You win! Keep me safe." Ghastly nodded, and motioned for me to keep watch. I nodded and stood by the door, and wove the light around me so I was invisible. Ravel chuckled. "Nice trick, Okdes. I know all about you. About your pitiful life in Michigan, that little area near Detroit. I know all about your friends, and about her." I stiffened. How did he know? "I wanted more than anything to make her suffer...I still will when I get out." I growled, a primal sound of rage, and jumped at him. I turned visible, and knocked him backwards, still handcuffed to the chair. I pounched onto him, and I summoned the most powerful radiation I could. He looked at me, unafriad, and I saw my relfection in his eyes. I saw my silver eyes, with almost inhuman rage. I had a hand around his throat, and raised the radiation in the air, as if to smash his face in wth it.

"That rage will get you killed." He said softly. I lowered the radiation slowly, and let it wink out. Then I threw him into a wall with air. The chair shattered beneath him. He was pinned to the wall, and smiled at me. I snarled angrily, and he still just smiled.

"OKDES!" An angry voice shouted. "PUT HIM DOWN!" My head whipped to the side, and I saw China standing there.

"He threatened the people I love." I growled. It hardly sounded human. "He should die. We don't need him alive."

"NO! That s one of the Seals!" I looked at her. " 7. When an innocent man spills the blood of the traitor." I looked at her, then back to Ravel.

"I am not innocent." I said. I turned to Ravel, and flicked my wrist. He flew into another wall, and dropped. "But I am not going to kill him yet." He groaned, and I stormed out.

I stood in the rain, on a hill just outside Berlin. I stood there, using what little water skill I had to keep dry. I stood, trying to get rid of my anger. Skulduggery, now Ravel, both had said my anger will be the death of me...So what do I do? I Thought about even the prospect of what would happen if Ravel got to her...Just the thought made me angry. The Fletcher appeared next to me. "Hey." I grunted "Good to see you're better."

"Yeah, I'm here to take you back to Ireland. We need all hands on deck. Nashvanii just broke the Sixth seal." He touched my arm, and we were gone.

After getting over the nausea of teleporting, I straightened up. "Thanks, Fletcher." He nodded, the vanished and reappeaered with Ghastly, Vex, and Ravel. Then we were surrounded.

They came out of nowhere, suddenly a couple dozen beasts of shadow stepped out of air. I pulled out Death Lord, and hardened the air into a shield, but Then I heard a voice. It said "Okdes, but down your weapons." And I saw him. Nashvanii Shven. He was the man who revealed China's identity. He was the man who ruined her. I roared and shot blast after blast at him, but they all just got absorbed into him. He smiled sinisterly, and flicked his hand. We all went flying, except Ravel, who suddenly stood alone. He looked scared now. Shven approached, and Ravel backed away. Shven pulled air, and he flew towards him. Ravel, now in his grasp, struggeled weakly. shven laughed, and pulled back a hand, like he was going to punch Ravel-

-And Ravel got hit by lightning. He jerked, spasmed once, and died. Shven dropped his body, anger etched over his face. Then Lightning Dave hit him in the face. So that idiot survived book 5, but not here. Shven hit him once and he died. Shven knelt next to Ravel's corpse, then touched him lightly. Ravel breathed again. Shven pulled back again, then ripped out his heart. He held up a large jar to collect his blood, then, when it was full, vanished with all the shadows. I sat up, groaning, and looked at Ravel's corpse, and spat at it. The I light it on fire and let it burn.

I sat in the loaned room at the Sanctuary, trying to sleep. They let me borrow a room, so I could sleep. It was too buisy to go home. I laid down on the bed, and felt my body slip into sleep...

...I was standing in a field again, next to the old man. He smiled kindly, and said "It is close to time. You will be ready, I know it." He looked away "But for now, I will show you anything you want. Ask, and I will tell."

I swallowed, and said "How...How will things end up with her?"

He grimaced "I...I wish not to say. The knowlage will change how you do everything. Anything else, I swear."

I frowned, and muttered "Tell me how to seal my true name without Nye."

He nodded "I can do that." Then he reached INTO my chest, and I felt my heart burn...

I awoke to a burning pain. I looked at my chest, where my heart is, and saw a brand burned into my chest. I looked at it, and felt such sadness over the fact I didn't know if she actually liked me, and if the magic would affect that...

Then I sat bolt upright. What a specific sadness. A Sorrow of One's Own. 


	9. New Player

Chapter 8: New Player

"I told you, I still do not feel comfortable aout kidnapping my grilfriend!" I said. Of course, Skulduggery suggested kidnapping her. "I don't want her in all this."

"You said that she might not even like you though." Skulduggery said

"So? I like her. I don't want her mixed in this."

"You would rather have your reflection be with her?" I froze, agonising over it.

"Fine. But we neeed an expliantion for her parents, this could drag on for a while."

Skulduggery nodded, and said "You use her reflection."

"Fine. Lets go." I grumbled.

We arrived in Mchigan and it was nighttime. I directed them towards her house. We got there, and the door was hanging off it's hinges. I jumped out of the Bently and ran inside. The haouse was dark, but I heard noise in the basement. I ran downstairs and saw them. Two guys, and my girlfriend tied to a chair. I roared, and they flew back. Then Shven appeared. "Ah, I was waiting for you to find ths out." He gestured to her. "I almost thought you weren't coming." He held his knife, and was twirling it. "Now, come with me or she dies."

"Thats kinda a flawed plan when I can use magic, y'know?" I said

"That would be true if you could hurt me. Those pitiful attempts when I was killing Ravel did nothing." He chuckled "Now, decide." he pressed the knife into her throat.

"Okay." I said. He backed away from her, and then Skulduggery shot him. He must have found the other basement entrance, and snuck around Shven. "Fletcher, get her!" I shouted. He grabbed her, and they vanished. Shven got up, ripping the bullet from his chest.

"Ow." he said. Then he flicked hs wrist and we both hit the wall. He motioned up, and we bounched off the ceiling. Then Fletcher reappeared and stabbed him with a knife. He jumped at us,and Shven threw the knife, and we were at the Sanctuary again.

"We did it!" I said estatically. Then I tried to take a step, but failed. Then I looked down, and saw Fletcher's knife sticking out of my stomach. "Oh." I said uncertainly, and collapsed.

(Valkyrie takes the pen for the moment, as I was incapacitated-Okdes)

This was Fletcher all over again, except this guy I knew slightly less. Sure, he sometimes talked too much, but he was like a little brother I didn't know would be cool to have. Fletcher came over next to me, pale. He stammered to Skulduggery "I...I thought..." Skulduggery stopped him with a motion.

"Don't." He said. "It won't change anything." He turned and walked away. I knew he didn't like staying by bedsides, so he went to work. Fletcher and I stayed, watching Dr. Nye work.

"He'll be fine." Fletcher said, but sounded unsure.

"Yeah." I said, equally uncertain.

Nye came out, announcing "He'll be fine. Now he just rests." Then he stalked off.

(Back to me- Okdes)

I was on a bed. Yes, that much was certain. Someone was next to me. I stirred, and turned on the bed. Next to me was the old goddamn bastard who kept screwing with me. "Who are you?" I croaked weakly

"I? I...am a friend."

"That's not an answer."

"I am your guardian angel. I am the one who has seen you live and die a thousand times, and I know this-" He leaned in close "-You will never find comfort on this Earth." He leaned back, and winked. Then he was gone.

I let my head fall back, and muttered "God...damn...it..." Then Valkyrie came in. "Hey, Val." I said weakly

She smiled, and said "I explained the situtaion to your girlfriend." She cleared her throat awkwardly, and looked away. I noticed that she looked deliberatly at the glass window to the viewing area, where Fletcher sat. "She...Took it well. Named herself and everything." I raised an eyebrow. Sounded like her.

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Ashlynne Song." She said gently. "I told her all about magic."

"How long was I out?"

"Almost a full day."

I frowned, and twisted to look at the viewing room, and my breath caught. She was there, wearing Valkyrie's clothes from a few years ago. I guess they fit her. I Turned my head the other direction, towards Valkyrie. She shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea. You need to rest more." She left, and suddenly I was drowsey...

I was in another dream, and this one was odd. I saw Ashlynne (It's still weird calling her by that name) Fighting the dog-things with me, and the sky was red. I saw myself get bit and fall to my knees. Ashlynne helped me up, but I was gravely wounded. I gasped "I have to let him out."

"Don't!" she pleaded. I shook my head, and managed to stand errect for a second. Then I breathed out, and my eyes turned so silver they almost were nonexistant. Then I-not I, he- lifted his head and turned to Ashlynne.

"Hello, Ashlynne." He said. His voice was deeper, richer than mine. "Don't worry, I'll give him back. I need to do something first." Then he lifted off the ground, drew Death Lord, and flew out of my line of sight. I saw Ashlynne Take a step in the Dircetion he left in, and then three dogs came up. She took a step back, and lit them on fire with a flick of her hand. They yelped and ran off.

"No...Don't..." I heard her say. Then she yelled "No!" and I was plungng into blackness.

I awoke on the bed again, with the man next to me. He smiled sadly and said "I wish it didn't come to this." and he reached down at me, black knife in hand, like he was going to stab me. Then he reversed it and stabbed himself. He pulled the knife out, and put it on the table next to me. He gasped "A knife purified with my blood can kill Shven." Then he was gone. Again. I weakly scrabbled for the knife, and slid it into the sheath he left for it. I tried to sit up, but fell. I Sighed. and I lightly drifted into a natural sleep. I didn't know that it was about to get much, much worse. 


	10. Nightblade

Chapter 9: Nightblade

I struggled to walk across the floor of the Medical Ward, and Clarabelle wasn't helping. Every few seconds she would giggle and say "Shven...Thats a funny name..." I grit my teeth and slowly shuffled across the room. I pushed off from the wall to stand o my own. I wobbled a little, but held steady.

Until I fell flat on my face. Clarabelle laughed, and I grit my teeth and stood up. I was determined not to fail. Not now, not later, not ever. I pushed myself up, and walked wobbly over to my clothes, and took them over to the bathroom. I changed quickly, then spent a few minutes in the bathroom staring at my eyes. One remained silver, the other green. The combo was slightly disconcerting. I walked outside, with only a slight wobble. I belted on Death Lord, and slid the knife sheath on the other side. I walked out of the Medical Ward. Ashlynne was standing there. She turned, and I remembered how we fought the last time we saw each other. I cleared my throat, and said "About last time we met-" She cut me off.

"Your...reflection...apologized." She said, pausing slightly before and after the word 'reflection'. I blinked. He was good, that reflection.

"Well...Then he- it- said exactly what I would." I remarked. "But, really, I am-"

She cut me off, this time wth a kiss. She stepped back, and I smiled at her. "Again, you need to learn when to stop talking." She said.

I jumped at the sound of a throat being cleared loudly. We turned to see Skulduggery, who said "If your quite done..."

"You don't even have a throat to clear." We both said together.

"So..." I had to stop myself before saying her real name, and carefully pronouncing her new name "...Ashlynne, Are you going to join us in saving the world?" She laughed, showing white teeth.

"Wouldn't miss it." She said, blue eyes sparkling.

Three hours, nine bullets, and thirty three extermely angry chipmunks later, we had saved a seal. We won for once. I breathed heavily, sitting down on a heavy log in the forest. Ashlynne sat next to my, and laughed. "Is this what you do every day?"

"Just about."

She summoned fire in her hand, and played with it a little. I smiled, remembering how I did that the first few times. "This is awesome!" She said. I looked at the nearest chipmunk, the one she lit on fire. I shuddered slightly, but turned to Skulduggery.

"Was it entirely necessary to kill the chipmunk king?" I asked

"Naturally. How else do we stop Shven from gaining the 'soul of the lord of chipmunks'?"

I shrugged. "What else is there...The Nightblade?"

Valkyrie, Skulduggery, and Ghastly all froze. Then their eyes drifted over to the sword I carried at my side. Nobody spoke. I felt rage boil over in my blood, and Valkyrie said "Cool it. Your eyes are both silver again." I scowled and forced my eye to revert colors again. Ashlynne looked at me in surprise, and just noticed that one was silver and the other still my natural green.

"That bastard isn't getting MY sword." I snapped. I then was surprised. I didn't know I felt this stongly for the sword, but the I realized That I really did like it a lot. Skulduggery cocked his head, as if surprised by my sudden vehemence.

"Well then." He said, amused. "I guess we just stab him first." My hand fell to the dagger's hilt, but I quickly dropped my hand off of it. I still hadn't told anyone about the man or the dagger. I thought it best not to, seeing as how he could teleport and stab himself without dying. I heard Valkyrie draw a breath, but before she could say whatever it was she was going to, Fletcher appeared.

"Bad news, guys." He panted, like he had just had a workout. "But another Seal is being broken. We don't have much time." Valkyrie caused the shadows to rise around us, and we vanished.

"Ugh..." Ashlynne groaned, sick from the teleportation. I winced sympathetically, and looked around at our situation. We were in a field, and there were these dog things. The were each about the size of a bear, but with red eyes and half-rotten flesh. It had several sections missing, and you could see pulsating organs inside. Some were on fire, while others weren't. With them, they had two dozen or so mages. Fletcher vanished again, and as Ashlynne was recovering, he reappeared with Ghastly, Vex, Rue, and Shudder. I drew my sword, while Valkyrie and Skulduggery pulled out their summoned energy, Ghastly and Ashlynne summoned fire, Shudder cracked his knucles, Fletcher brandished an axe, and Rue sneezed at the oncoming horde. About one hundred helleounds and two dozens mages versus the Dead Men; It was almost a fair fight.

The Horde got greeted first by a Gist. It tore through them like paper, and left bloody bits behind it. Shudder grunted, and pulled it back in. It howled and clawed, but eventually subdued. The advance was more cautious after that. But then came a hail of gunfire, regular fire, energy, and radiation. They charged again, and the Dead Men attacked. I saw Valkyrie and Skulduggery work as a team, punching and blasting, shooting and kicking. Vex, Shudder, Ghastly, and Rue all stood like an impenetrable wall. If anything got by Skulduggery, It didn't get by them. Fletcher teleported in and out of the crowd, hacking and smashing like a maniac. I weaved through the horde as well, hacking and stabbing. I left a hellhound headless and moved on to slam a fireball down a second's throat. Ashlynne stood a distance back, with Ghastly, casting fire into the charging mass of evil.

I idly wondered what the hell we were even trying to stop, but I found I didn't care. As long as I had a goal, I would only focus on that. And my goal at the time was simple: Kill. Then, a break in the horde. I found myself facing two mages, just like in my dream. I smiled grimly, and snapped my head to where the old man had been standing. "Hi!" I said, waving like a maniac. The two advancing mages looked at me like I was crazy, giving me enough time to light them both on fire. Odd how quickly I had changed the future.

I laughed, and screamed "IS THIS ALL YOU GOT, SHVEN?" Like an answer, the sky rumbled and lightning streaked down. The bolt hit right in front of me, and formed into a man. He was tall, close to nine feet. He had wild, waist-length hair, and bright red skin. His mouth was filled with way too many sharp teeth, and his eyes were like polished black pebbles. He roared, and twin swords of fire appeared in his hands, each around six feet in length. His eyes fell upon me, and he roared a challenge. Then he ran at me, hatred burning in those black, black eyes.


	11. Archangel

Chapter 10: Archangel

The thing roared at me, and charged. I did the natural thing: I turned and ran for my life. I sprinted away, firing wind, fire, and radiation over my shoulder. Then I heard something...Like a voice in my head...It said 'let. me out...' the voice was accompanied by a pounding pain.

"No." I mumbled.

'I can kill it...' the pain grew, and I could hear a ringing noise.

"No." I said, slightly louder.

'LET ME OUT!' I almost collapsed with pain.

"NO!" I roared. I stumbled, and fell to my knees. The thing snarled at me, and an evil grin spread across it's face. I fell completely, and weakly flipped over. The thing was grinning, it's red eyes alight with fire. I raised a sword, and I raised an arm in a futile attempt to block the strike-

-And suddenly the air split open and light was everywhere. The thing turned to it, roaring in pain. Then the light hit it, and the monster went flying. The light flew over to me, and gently hovered over my chest. Then I heard a voice in my head, different from the first. This one was calming, and serene. "Hello." It said. "Fear not, I am Raguel the Archangel. Please, let me enter. Say yes, and I can help you wreak justice upon Shven and his ilk. Just say yes."

I felt so comforted, so at peace, near him."Yes." I croaked through the pain. The light descended into my chest, and nothing happened. Then pain shot through me, and then...nothing.

(Raguel takes the narrative, oddly enough- Okdes)

I stood up in the young man's body. His family had been hosts for thousands of years, I am glad to have regained one. I stood up, eyes blazing a silver. I raised my hand, and the sky opened up. My sword, the Sword of Justice, Xilifin by name, floated down and into my grasp. The familiar european long sword gently glowed as I held it, and instantly the sword bonded to the bloodline. This interested me enough to check his future...

...And then I knew it. He would have a son, but not here. In another dimension. His son would have a son, and name that other child Okdes. Okdes II would go to yet another dimension, and name his son Owen...and Owen would be a dimensional hopper until settling down in another dimension, called...Vytal? And have two children, Okdes and...another. I couldn't see her name. After that was too far ahead to see. All of the sons of this family from this Okdes on would wield Xilifin. And I would be their guide.

I pulled my mind back to the present, and saw the monster, a hell-spawn, running at me. I hit it again, and it flew away again. I was sent as the Christain Ambassador to help stop Shven, yet why wasn't there any other gods? I thought for sure Odin or Ra would send a warrior to help the fight...But enough of that, it was a mystery for later. And I would seek out the criminal and justice would follow. But I turned my full attention to the Hell spawn. I realized then my mistake; it wasn't Hellspawn, it an Elemental djinn.

A powerful Afrit, most likely. It roared, and I let my wings unfold from my back. Then I half leapt, half flew at the Afrit. It looked totally shocked, even more so when I buried Xilifin in it's chest. Its scream shook the Earth as it died, and I pulled out Xilifin. The Afrit fell to the ground, essence floating off into their dimension.

I smiled, and then heard a whispering in my skull. I felt an evil presence, and I felt afraid. I knew it was him with a true name. So I smashed it, and drove it deep into his mind. Then there was a hole left by it, a hole where the other part of one's personality resides. The perfect spot for me it I wanted to stay. So I filled the hole, and the wings faded from view as I left control of the body.

(Back to me- Okdes)

I resurfaced in my mind to the point of awarness. I realized I was holding a new sword. I knew it's name from Raguel. It was Xilifin. I held it in my hand, and my other dropped to Death Lord, and it was gone. I looked around and couldn't find it anywhere. Then I saw Shven twriling it a few dozen feet away. Raguel and I roared as one and jumped at him. He simply vanished.

"NO!" We roared in unison. The force of our combined anger sent the closest bodies blasting away, until we stood in a circle of empty field.

"God." Ghastly whispered. "He wanted us here to steal the sword...He planned this all along." Raguel tried to take control, but only got control over my mouth.

"That is almost impossible...The planning he'd have to do..." Raguel said, his voice deeper than mine. The others looked at me, and I took control of my mouth again.

"Uh, yeah. About my voice-"

"-I am Raguel-" He piped up

"-Stop that! I am trying to-"

"-Sorry, but I have a story too-"

"-Yeah, but they are my friends, and this is sort of important-"

"-Fine, speak your piece-"

"-Thanks." They looked at me like I was insane. "This is Raguel-"

"-Hi-"

"-Please just stop-"

"-Sorry-"

"-Right. Anyway, he is an Archangel. He-"

"-Was sent by God. He wants to help your fight, seeing as the Faceless Ones were not of his design and unkillable by all but me. Other gods should be sending envoys too. I believe Horus may show up very soon."

"So, all the religions exist?" Valkyrie asked

"Yes. Each came into being and created their own cornor of the world, and their own monsters. They were powered by prayer, so God was weak originally. But he grew stronger as time went on, and now he is almost as powerful as the mortal Bible says he is. Now, most old 'pagan' gods are weak, except the avenger gods. The are fueled by justice and vengance, and since those always exist, they are still at full strength. I, however obscure, am a justice angel. Therefore I am even stronger. Nemesis and Horus are coming eventually, and I believe their aid shall be invaluble."

"Your eye kept flickering silver to green when you two were fighting for control. It was...so disconcerting." Ashlynne said.

Then a deep voice rang out "So, need help killing?" We turned to see a falcon-headed man standing nearby. "Come on." Horus said "You know you asked for me."


End file.
